Cultivation Begins From The Desert-Chapter 693 - 677: Visiting to Apologize!

The care that Master Cyan Yang shows towards Zhou Guangcheng, his traditional heir, is certainly no less than what Zhouyang, his father, shows.

Upon receiving Zhouyang's message, he hurriedly rushed to Fire Birch Mountain personally.

"I have already instructed the sect's cultivators to keep an eye on the Divine Fire Palace for any updates. So far, they haven't confirmed that it was Cheng'Er who committed the killing.'

"However, there weren't many of our sect's cultivators active in the Wilderness Jungle at that time, and Cheng'Er had also publicly appeared in Prison Fire City, so it's going to be difficult to keep this matter concealed. Eventually, the Divine Fire Palace will find out the truth."

"My current opinion is to inform the Divine Fire Palace of the entire story before they take action. We should offer them a substantial gift to express our apologies and, in the name of punishment, confine Cheng'Er for a hundred years. Fellow Daoist Zhou, what do you think?"

Upon seeing Zhouyang, Master Cyan Yang immediately laid out the solution he quickly came up with and sought his opinion.

After all, Zhou Guangcheng is a disciple of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, which is a major sect that places great emphasis on rules and principles. Whether or not Zhou Guangcheng had valid reasons, killing a Golden Core Elder of a prominent major sect with no prior grievance against our sect is indeed a grave mistake and cannot go unpunished.

Besides, according to the rules of major sects, punishment can only be administered internally; it's impossible to hand over the erring disciple for an outsider to punish. That would not only make other sects laugh but also dishearten our own disciples.

After hearing Master Cyan Yang's words, Zhouyang knew that the other party already had a plan in mind and naturally wouldn't object.

However, he still earnestly said, "I have no objections to Senior's resolution. However, I estimate that the Divine Fire Palace won't let this go easily. It seems that the Golden Core cultivator killed by Cheng'Er held a significant position within the Divine Fire Palace and had a Nascent Soul cultivator supporting him!"

Upon hearing this, Master Cyan Yang waved his hand and said, "Whether they let it go or not doesn't matter. What's important is that we cannot give others an excuse to say that our Profound Sun Immortal Sect's disciples are overbearing and oppressive."

Zhouyang instantly understood.

He squinted his eyes slightly and nodded gently, saying, "I understand, Senior. In that case, let me personally take a trip to the Divine Fire Palace to apologize and offer reparations, ensuring it is done beautifully without any flaws."

Master Cyan Yang immediately laughed and said, "It would be better if we both went together, as Guangcheng is also my disciple, after all."

Compared to Zhouyang, the honored guest Supreme Elder, Master Cyan Yang, a true Supreme Elder of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, undoubtedly better represents the sect.

Zhouyang understood this point well, so he did not argue further, simply bowing with cupped hands and saying, "My unworthy son has caused trouble, burdening Senior with this effort. I offer my apologies on his behalf."

The two quickly left Fire Birch Mountain and took Zhouyang's Misty Cloud Vehicle toward the mountain gate of the Divine Fire Palace.

As expected by Master Cyan Yang, while they were still on their way, the news that Divine Fire Palace's Golden Core Elder Dai Hongle had died at the hands of Zhou Guangcheng, a true disciple of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, was already spreading throughout Nanman Country. Moreover, they seemed eager for everyone to know Zhou Guangcheng's background, emphasizing his identity as a "Second Generation Immortal."

Although the Divine Fire Palace hadn't officially announced this matter, Zhouyang and Master Cyan Yang knew that this news was most certainly released by the Divine Fire Palace themselves.

Their intention, of course, was to first occupy the moral high ground, making people instinctively perceive the Profound Sun Immortal Sect disciple as oppressive and abusing his power.

Originally, the feat of a Purple Mansion cultivator defeating a Golden Core cultivator was something many middle-lower tier cultivators would gossip about with admiration. But naturally, hearing such news would make them support the weaker side, that is, the Purple Mansion side.

However, when they learned the Purple Mansion cultivator could kill a Golden Core stage cultivator solely because he hailed from a prestigious major sect with a powerful father and master, jealousy naturally arose, causing many middle-lower tier cultivators to feel sympathy for the unfortunate Golden Core stage cultivator.

Isn't it true? The man had meticulously formed a Golden Core, enjoying a millenniums-long lifespan, yet due to a conflict with a "Second Generation Immortal," he was killed by the latter wielding treasures bestowed by his father and master. Isn't that injustice?

One must admit, the means employed by Divine Fire Palace, although somewhat crude, are indeed quite effective.

If Zhouyang and the Profound Sun Immortal Sect didn't step out promptly to clarify the matter, allowing it to spread unchecked, both his personal reputation and the sect's would suffer severe damage. Zhou Guangcheng might even become infamously known throughout the Cultivation Realm as a pampered second-generation rogue, disliked by many cultivators.

Fortunately, after learning about this halfway, they hastened their pace and reached outside the biggest and liveliest Immortal City of Nanman, Prison Fire City.

Originally, their target was the location of the Divine Fire Palace's mountain gate. However, upon receiving word midway that the Divine Fire Palace was spreading rumors, Zhouyang decided to change their destination to Prison Fire City.

Compared to the mountain gate, which only housed Divine Fire Palace cultivators, clarifying the matter in Prison Fire City, where tens of thousands of cultivators gathered, was undoubtedly more effective in restoring their reputation.

Moreover, apologizing and offering reparations in front of a wide audience would better showcase their sincerity.

Zhouyang had visited Prison Fire City once when he was at the Purple Mansion Cultivation. However, during several subsequent trips into the Wilderness Jungle, he never entered the city again.

Coincidentally, when he reached outside Prison Fire City this time, it was once again a night, just like when he first came here.

In the darkness, Prison Fire City appeared far more splendid and majestic than by day.

The natural fire chasm on the western side of the city, extending a hundred miles, was ablaze, illuminating a radius of several hundred miles as if it were daylight.

Moreover, atop the hundred-zhang-high "Divine Fire Altar" within the city, an everlasting flame blazed brightly, spreading light and warmth to the surrounding area spanning dozens of li.

However, this night, outside Prison Fire City, the sky gained an additional massive source of illumination.

Hovering at a thousand-zhang height dozens of miles east of the city, Zhouyang, wielding his Nascent Soul cultivation, activated the Magical Technique "Qianyang Golden Light," which he had mastered at the Foundation Establishment Stage. In an instant, golden light burst forth, illuminating the heavens, transforming the dark night sky to a brilliance akin to daylight.

Such a grand spectacle, compounded by Zhouyang's undisguised Nascent Soul cultivator aura, naturally startled all cultivators within Prison Fire City. Numerous cultivators rushed out from various buildings, their eyes filled with amazement as they gazed towards the eastern sky, puzzled as to why someone dared to perform such an ostensibly provocative act outside Prison Fire City.

Facing the countless gazes from cultivators within Prison Fire City, Zhouyang, with a solemn expression, clasped his hands, his voice thundering as he shouted, "Zhouyang, Honored Guest Supreme Elder of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, along with our sect's Supreme Elder, Master Cyan Yang, have come specifically to apologize for my son, Zhou Guangcheng's inadvertent killing of Divine Fire Palace Elder Dai Hongle. We request Fellow Daoist Deng of the Divine Fire Palace to come forth for a meeting!"

So this is not just about apologizing!

This is clearly about establishing a presence!

Watching the golden-robed youth radiating with dazzling golden light, like a heavenly deity descended to the mortal realm, many cultivators within Prison Fire City began to get excited.

They say the bystanders enjoy the spectacle without fearing the consequences.

The suspected incident where Zhou Guangcheng, a true disciple of the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, killed Dai Hongle, a Golden Core Elder of the Divine Fire Palace, had not yet reached a final conclusion. But now, his father, Master Qianyang Zhouyang, appeared together with his master, Master Cyan Yang, in front of Prison Fire City, directly governed by the Divine Fire Palace, showing their formidable presence, yet claimed to have come to apologize.

Any cultivator witnessing this scene knew that a major drama was bound to unfold.

Sure enough, shortly after Zhouyang spoke, a massive fire light suddenly shot out from the natural fire abyss on the western side of Prison Fire City.

That fire light, like a fiery meteor, sped from west to east, soon forcefully crashing into the golden light region outside the eastern city, eventually stopping several thousand feet away from Zhouyang and revealing an elder with fiery red hair wearing a crimson robe.

"Such an imposing presence, Fellow Daoist Zhou!"

The firelight surrounding the red-haired elder surged, forcefully carving out a section of sky for himself within the golden light region. He looked at Zhouyang with a gloomy face and sneered coldly, "Those in the know might believe you really came here to apologize, but those not in the know seeing your formidable presence might think you have some discontent with our Divine Fire Palace and came deliberately to show off your might!"

The voice of the red-haired elder was not concealed at all, audible throughout most of Prison Fire City.

The cultivators within the city, upon hearing these words laden with heavy grievances, became even more excited, all staring with wide eyes at the three Nascent Soul Stage cultivators in the sky, prepared to witness a great spectacle.

However, Zhouyang seemed to disappoint them. Facing the sneers of the red-haired elder, he instead showed an expression of guilt, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist Deng, your words are too harsh. It is my poor guidance of my son that led to the tragedy of my unworthy son mistakenly killing your sect's Fellow Daoist Dai for a Spirit Elixir."

At that moment, even the Divine Fire Palace did not know why Dai Hongle came into conflict with Zhou Guangcheng, resulting in his death; otherwise, they wouldn't just be spreading rumors to force Zhouyang and the Profound Sun Immortal Sect to clarify but would have officially announced the incident and demanded an explanation from them.

Thus, upon hearing Zhouyang's words, not only did Master Deng from the Divine Fire Palace show a momentary look of shock, but the watching cultivators couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

Naturally, these mutterings were very unfavorable to the Divine Fire Palace's side.

Two cultivators of different cultivation realms fighting over a Spirit Elixir could easily lead Loose Cultivators and lower-tier cultivators in the city to relate to the incident, recalling moments when they had their opportunities snatched away.

It was obvious that most cultivators subconsciously wouldn't think a Purple Mansion Stage cultivator like Zhou Guangcheng would proactively seize an elixir discovered by a Golden Core Stage cultivator like Dai Hongle.

Then, the situation must be that the Golden Core Stage cultivator Dai Hongle saw Zhou Guangcheng discover a rare Spirit Elixir, and relying on his Golden Core Stage cultivation, attempted to snatch it. However, Zhou Guangcheng, unwilling to comply, used a powerful treasure bestowed by his father to counter-kill him.

This explanation made sense.

Zhou Guangcheng, with his Purple Mansion cultivation, evidently couldn't control that power, which is why he accidentally killed Dai Hongle, who also hailed from a top major sect as a Golden Core Stage cultivator.

Yes, it must be so!

And Zhouyang's intention was precisely this.

Since the Divine Fire Palace wanted to play the public opinion card and capture the high ground to tarnish their reputation, he certainly couldn't remain indifferent and let it develop unchecked.

Don't be fooled by his repeated claims of Zhou Guangcheng's wrongdoing; in reality, in his heart, the mistake of Zhou Guangcheng wasn't in killing Dai Hongle but in stirring up a formidable enemy over a Spirit Elixir that he didn't actually need.

Hence, his visit to the Divine Fire Palace to apologize was merely a pretense, as Master Cyan Yang suggested, to give the Divine Fire Palace some face.

Originally, the death of a cultivator over Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures was no extraordinary affair, not even considered newsworthy.

Moreover, that Thousand-year-old Vermilion Fruit never belonged to Dai Hongle; at least, Zhou Guangcheng didn't seize it from his hands.

Since he didn't believe his son was wrong in killing Dai Hongle, Zhouyang had no psychological burden in facing the Divine Fire Palace. Fabricating a public opinion offensive to counterattack was naturally done effortlessly and without any mental barriers.

At this moment, seeing Master Deng and the many cultivators within Prison Fire City being led into infinite imaginings by his words, before Master Deng could regain his composure from his rhetoric, he showed an expression of guilt, bowed to Master Deng, and said, "I, Zhou, am truly ashamed, and have severely reprimanded that unworthy son, confining him for a hundred years. He will not be allowed to descend the mountain until he becomes a Golden Core!"

Hearing this, Master Deng's face showed a slight change. How could he not understand the real meaning behind Zhouyang's words?

The so-called confinement for a hundred years means nothing to a high-tier cultivator.

A few long-term secluded cultivations would pass the time.

This punishment in name, in reality, is a common method employed by major forces to protect their disciples from being avenged.

Zhouyang's words now, in the view of Master Deng, served as a warning to him and the Divine Fire Palace not to think about seeking revenge in private.

How could this not infuriate him?

He was visibly twitching, ready to retort Zhouyang.

Yet, before he could speak, Zhouyang, as if knowing what he was about to say, quickly interjected, "Initially, I intended for that unworthy son to come with me to apologize in person, bearing thorns, but alas, he is gravely injured, unable to move, so I, thick-skinned, came personally to apologize to Fellow Daoist Deng and the Divine Fire Palace."

"Of course, I know mere words may not genuinely reflect sincerity, so I am willing to compensate the loss of Fellow Daoist Dai's mentors and family with a million Spirit Stones, and additionally, I will hand over the Thousand-year-old Vermilion Fruit that caused their conflict to be handled as they see fit!"

Master Deng's words were immediately choked back in his throat.

Indeed, he had just intended to say these things, but Zhouyang obviously came prepared, leaving him in a passive position.

Still, he was also a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, not to be easily manipulated by Zhouyang.

With a deepened expression, he said coldly, "This Deng is merely fulfilling the duty to safeguard Prison Fire City. Whether Fellow Daoist Zhou apologizes or pleads guilty, it would be best to explain personally when our sect's Grand Elder and Fellow Nephew Dai's mentors, Dao companions, and others arrive."